156 LUCY AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.

“And is this brook the outlet to Emery’s
pond ?” asked Lucy.

“ Yes,” replied Robert; “and all the bridges
which we have come across, are over this same
brook.”

“What do they have so many for?” asked
Lucy.

Why, they must have a bridge every where,
where they want to cross,” replied Robert.
“ The banks are too steep and rocky to ford.”

“ But why need they cross so many times ?”
asked Lucy’s mother. ‘Why not keep on one
side, or on the other, all the way ?”

* Because,” said Robert, “they can’t make
the road. They keep going back and forth across
the brook wherever it’s easy ‘to make a road.
Besides, it is not much work to make a bridge.”

“ How do they make it?” asked Lucy.

“‘ Why, they cut down a couple of large trees,
for stringers, —string-pieces, —or else three. I
believe they generally have about three.”

“What do you mean by string-pieces?”

“ Why, pieces to go across the stream from one
bank to the other, to put the planks on.”

“Do they gerferally have three?” asked Lu-
cy’s mother.

“ Yes, ma’am,” replied Robert, “I believe they
do. Then they split up some logs for plank, and
30 cover it.”

“That makes me think,” said Lucy, “ of what
you said about Mr. Emery’s house. You said he